converting a 26MB mobi to epub

comet · 04-27-2011, 02:30 PM

I tried to convert a mobi (26 MB) to an epub with calibre 0.7.57. But after one hour of heavy work (pursuant to the sound of the fans ;-) ) there was only 1% finished and my linux-system began to become very slow, so that I couldn't use the mouse any longer. So I stopped the conversion. Is there a chance to convert that book using calibre in a reasonable time?

greetings

comet

theducks · 04-27-2011, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comet

I tried to convert a mobi (26 MB) to an epub with calibre 0.7.57. But after one hour of heavy work (pursuant to the sound of the fans ;-) ) there was only 1% finished and my linux-system began to become very slow, so that I couldn't use the mouse any longer. So I stopped the conversion. Is there a chance to convert that book using calibre in a reasonable time?

greetings

comet

24hours would not be unheard of for a book that size.

The messier the coding, the longer it can take.
Clear the lint out of the case and let it run overnite

comet · 04-27-2011, 03:04 PM

24 hours? :-(
So perhaps I will try it overnight, but because of the problem with my system becoming slow I should stop the GUI. Is there a way to do the conversion using only the console?

theducks · 04-27-2011, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comet

24 hours? :-(
So perhaps I will try it overnight, but because of the problem with my system becoming slow I should stop the GUI. Is there a way to do the conversion using only the console?

The GUI is not the issue. Eating up all your CPU cycles is

In the Windows and Linux, you can reduce the Job Priority (before you start) of worker processes (Preferences: Behavior: Job Priority) to Low.

Manichean · 04-27-2011, 05:00 PM

You can run the conversion in the console using ebook-convert, however, theducks is most probably right about the GUI not being the issue.

theducks · 04-27-2011, 05:03 PM

other slowness.
You are going to write many more than 26 M of temp files.
Defrag your HD and make the job easier.

comet · 04-28-2011, 04:09 AM

Thank all of you for your advice! :-)

comet · 04-28-2011, 11:21 AM

@theDucks:

When my system becomes slow the cpu is mainly idle. But memory (4 GB) is full and swap-space starts filling. So the problem seems to be not that calibre uses to many cycles but needs to many of the memory available.

theducks · 04-28-2011, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comet

@theDucks:

When my system becomes slow the cpu is mainly idle. But memory (4 GB) is full and swap-space starts filling. So the problem seems to be not that calibre uses to many cycles but needs to many of the memory available.

See that (with Process explorer) on XP. Something cycles (Calibre GUI idle) and eats memory in 2M chunks, then it swaps some of it out and Swap grows. A full Quit, Then restart (Calibre restart seems to leave remnant files locked).
Best start a big hog of a convert with a fresh Calibre

Run.

comet · 04-28-2011, 01:06 PM

I already (3 times) tried to convert with a fresh instance of calibre after restarting my computer but the loss of memory happens at every try :-( So I believe that I have no chance converting my ebook using calibre. :-(

kovidgoyal · 04-28-2011, 02:25 PM

That memory consumption looks excessive. There's likely something in your file causing a mem leak. If you open a bug report and post a link to your file, I'll take a look at it.

seankav · 07-08-2011, 10:27 AM

Hey Kovidgoyal,

First off, excellent app "Calibre". I am trying to convert a 26mb mobi from a book that I purchased from Amazon.com for my kindle. I am trying to convert it to an epub so that my wife can read it on her nook. I tried to convert it on my pc (xp) and my wife's Macbook. It ran all night and it still didn't convert it. Any suggestions?

ps. - I called Amazon.com regarding their drm policy and though I fully agree with copyright protection, I did explain to them that Barns & Noble sells some books that they don't and visa versa. I voiced my displeasure that if I "Legally" purchase a book for my kindle, I should be able to convert it for my other devices. In this day and age, you would think that Amazon could verify that I purchased the book and allow the removal of the drm OR convert it for me. As you can imagine they couldn't help me. LOL

kovidgoyal · 07-08-2011, 12:12 PM

Can't really tell you what the problem might be without looking at the file in question, but as long as the conversion is running, I'd advise you to let it run, I've known a few conversions to take up to a couple of days.

Gunnerp245 · 07-08-2011, 01:16 PM

@seankav

Welcome to Mobileread!

GreenMonkey · 07-12-2011, 03:30 AM

I had an html ebook with complicated css taking over 12 hours on my laptop (Turion dual core 2.1ghz/4gb RAM). It didn't seem to be going anywhere. I was sure it was sticking somehow.

I searched the forums here and saw similiar suggestions (it might take a long time).

I moved the file over to my desktop which is an unlocked-to-quadcore Phenom II @ 3.6ghz / 6GB / SSD...it finished in about 5 hours.

A 26mb mobi is huge. How on earth could one be that large? Lots of images or something? Excessively long?

04-27-2011, 02:30 PM	#1
comet Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Oasis , Kindle Oasis 2, Tolino Epos	converting a 26MB mobi to epub I tried to convert a mobi (26 MB) to an epub with calibre 0.7.57. But after one hour of heavy work (pursuant to the sound of the fans ;-) ) there was only 1% finished and my linux-system began to become very slow, so that I couldn't use the mouse any longer. So I stopped the conversion. Is there a chance to convert that book using calibre in a reasonable time? greetings comet

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04-27-2011, 03:04 PM	#3
comet Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Oasis , Kindle Oasis 2, Tolino Epos	24 hours? :-( So perhaps I will try it overnight, but because of the problem with my system becoming slow I should stop the GUI. Is there a way to do the conversion using only the console?

04-27-2011, 05:00 PM	#5
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	You can run the conversion in the console using ebook-convert, however, theducks is most probably right about the GUI not being the issue.

04-27-2011, 05:03 PM	#6
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,800 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	other slowness. You are going to write many more than 26 M of temp files. Defrag your HD and make the job easier.

04-28-2011, 04:09 AM	#7
comet Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Oasis , Kindle Oasis 2, Tolino Epos	Thank all of you for your advice! :-)

04-28-2011, 11:21 AM	#8
comet Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Oasis , Kindle Oasis 2, Tolino Epos	@theDucks: When my system becomes slow the cpu is mainly idle. But memory (4 GB) is full and swap-space starts filling. So the problem seems to be not that calibre uses to many cycles but needs to many of the memory available.

04-28-2011, 01:06 PM	#10
comet Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Oasis , Kindle Oasis 2, Tolino Epos	I already (3 times) tried to convert with a fresh instance of calibre after restarting my computer but the loss of memory happens at every try :-( So I believe that I have no chance converting my ebook using calibre. :-(

04-28-2011, 02:25 PM	#11
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,856 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	That memory consumption looks excessive. There's likely something in your file causing a mem leak. If you open a bug report and post a link to your file, I'll take a look at it.

07-08-2011, 10:27 AM	#12
seankav Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle, Nook, iPad	Hey Kovidgoyal, First off, excellent app "Calibre". I am trying to convert a 26mb mobi from a book that I purchased from Amazon.com for my kindle. I am trying to convert it to an epub so that my wife can read it on her nook. I tried to convert it on my pc (xp) and my wife's Macbook. It ran all night and it still didn't convert it. Any suggestions? ps. - I called Amazon.com regarding their drm policy and though I fully agree with copyright protection, I did explain to them that Barns & Noble sells some books that they don't and visa versa. I voiced my displeasure that if I "Legally" purchase a book for my kindle, I should be able to convert it for my other devices. In this day and age, you would think that Amazon could verify that I purchased the book and allow the removal of the drm OR convert it for me. As you can imagine they couldn't help me. LOL

07-08-2011, 12:12 PM	#13
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,856 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Can't really tell you what the problem might be without looking at the file in question, but as long as the conversion is running, I'd advise you to let it run, I've known a few conversions to take up to a couple of days.

07-08-2011, 01:16 PM	#14
Gunnerp245 Gadget Freak Posts: 1,169 Karma: 1043832 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: US Device: EE, Note 8	@seankav Welcome to Mobileread!

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07-12-2011, 03:30 AM	#15
GreenMonkey DRM hater Posts: 945 Karma: 2066176 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Michigan Device: Nook ST glow, Kindle Voyage	I had an html ebook with complicated css taking over 12 hours on my laptop (Turion dual core 2.1ghz/4gb RAM). It didn't seem to be going anywhere. I was sure it was sticking somehow. I searched the forums here and saw similiar suggestions (it might take a long time). I moved the file over to my desktop which is an unlocked-to-quadcore Phenom II @ 3.6ghz / 6GB / SSD...it finished in about 5 hours. A 26mb mobi is huge. How on earth could one be that large? Lots of images or something? Excessively long?